March 2022
Astrocamp was held from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th March in very nice, though fresh, weather at Three Mile Dam near Kiandra in the Snowy Mountains.
Friday night was spent getting ready for camping, having our first real camp meal, (sausages, potato and peas) and surveying the night sky to see the main stand-out features, including the constellations of Orion, the Hunter and, of course, Crux, or The Southern Cross.
Saturday afternoon was spent hiking with Mr. Hancock, Mrs, Duggan and Mr. Hazelwood, who attended the camp. One important event was the crossing of the mighty Murrumbidgee River at Long Plain. Actually, the boys were seen to jump over the river. Quite an achievement!
Saturday night was the chance to use the telescopes, accomplished mainly by Braden, who managed some great views, Dickson and Ephraim. Braden caught great images of the Orion Nebula and Omega Centauri, a globular cluster of 100,000 old stars. Hayden specialised in astronomical binoculars and had great views of the Orion Nebula, Omega Centauri, the Jewel Box, 47 Tucanae, amongst a host of other clusters and nebulae. Great work from these students!
Special thanks to Mr Dave Hancock and Mrs Marjanna Duggan, who did all of the organising with her normal great proficiency, and Jess Sewell, who came to offer her much appreciated expertise!